On Righteous Wings
by W.Kiessel
Summary: When facing Andross and his vile minions, only faith and valor can win the day. Join Fox McCloud and his team of space adventurers as they reconquer the Lylat system in the name of all that is good and right!


Fox, Falco, Slippy, and Krystal were all standing on the bridge of the Great Fox. Ahead of them, glittering like a million diamonds on the eternal velvet of night, the entirety of Venom's sector 6 fleet stared back. Fox knew that, aboard each of the seemingly endless number of Venomian ships, an entire array of apes, pigs and lizards were also looking at them. These menacing pawns of Andross' vile machinations certainly had overwhelming strength in numbers. Further, as they had all been processed through the ancient Venomian officer's schools, they all possessed the beautiful, well refined manners of their noble class. With just a single, graceful wave of their hand and letting a small cluster of silky, dignified words roll off their forked tongues, they could bring down the infinitely heavy hammer of tyranny and evil upon Fox and his team's noble brows. But, while they had the ever-growing force of mass and the high-culture Fox would never be allowed to join, the Venomians lacked a very, very important thing.

They did not possess the Faith.

Warming, ever-present, the Faith had entered Fox and his team's lives. Yes, they had once lived lives of wickedness; the years of thieving and mercenary attitudes towards life and love were well known amongst Corneria's benevolent rulers. But while they had been wicked, they had since then come into the full grip of righteousness and purity. They cast off their swarthy, filth-covered robes and had been born anew in luminescent jackets of white and boots of gleaming silver. They had given up drink and other temptations, and their bodies, their personal temples, now looked better than ever: healthy coats and teeth glimmered and shined in the starlight.

"Come on guys!" Fox exclaimed with his usual enthusiasm as he turned to face his teammates. Emphatically, he placed a clenched fist on his hip and pointed to the heavens with a single, bold finger. "Times may be tough, but we shouldn't worry! They may have us cornered, but when has that ever stopped us before?"

"What's to worry about?" Falco questioned sarcastically. "We've just got to deal with hundreds of thousands of ships blocking our path to Venom." He shook his head. "They're going to kill us!"

"No, don't talk like that!" Slippy said, and reached up to gently take hold of Falco's wing. "We've come this far, and we're not going to stop now."

"That's right," Krystal added and placed a hand on Falco's shoulder. She cocked her head to the left and gave that soft smile that had melted Fox's hard heart so many long years ago. "We have so many good things working on our side, and there's so many things working against the enemy. We're going to be just fine."

Staring into his friend's eyes, Falco knew that she was right. He closed his own deep aqua eyes and sighed as he bowed his head to her.

"I have been foolish…" he whispered. "I have been shamed… I… was more concerned with my own personal ambitions." He opened his eyes and gazed at the ceiling of the bridge.

"I was afraid that… I'd be hurt and I wouldn't be able to have as much fun as before."

"Oh Falco," Fox said, chuckling softly. "We all have those fears, but it's okay!" He put his own hand on Falco's remaining shoulder. "Because when we're afraid, we need only pray to Him." He pointed at the ceiling. "And then, at our moments of weakness, we will be able to pull ourselves together and prevail."

"-I- think we should pray right now!" Slippy insisted.

"I think you're right!" Falco laughed. The rest of the team joined in laughing with him. Slippy was always just so cute, even when everything looked lost.

Carefully, so not to brush against the sensitive array of controls on the consoles near them, Fox and his friends all joined hands and bowed their heads to the center of their circle.

_Oh Lord,_ he prayed reverently.

_We have shown weakness_

_We have shown cowardice_

_Please come and fill us with your presence_

_Please lift us up and show us your glory._

They all said Amen, and then looked up and smiled at each other.

"Fox?" Krystal asked. "May I have a kiss?"

"Yes, of course!" Fox said. "I would like that very much."

Slippy and Falco broke out of the circle and watched as Krystal kissed Fox. Smiling, the toad and the falcon knew in their hearts that Fox and Krystal were simply meant to be. When Fox had originally brought Krystal aboard, Slippy had thought of asking her to be his girlfriend. She was certainly very pretty—but he knew that would be wrong. She being a vixen and her being a toad, it was biologically irrational and would displease Him very much. It just simply would not work at all.

When Fox and Krystal finished their kiss, the vulpine commander looked out over his team and smiled boldly.

"Friends," he said. "I think it's time we go and get ready- to rock and roll!"

"Alright!" Slippy cheered.

"Let's DO THIS!" Falco added, pounding his fist into his open hand.

In a very short period of time, the four Arwings lifted out of their holding locks and thrust forward into the never-ending night like holy arrows seeking their most deserved targets.


End file.
